


The lesson

by tsukinotsurugi (forgetfulAmoeba)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, canonverse, kindof a thought piece I guess?, warning: this does not end on a bright note, with a twist at the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:33:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28631064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forgetfulAmoeba/pseuds/tsukinotsurugi
Summary: Levi spends a day in Erwin's class.Based on that panel.
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith
Kudos: 38





	The lesson

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if anyone ever wrote a fic for [the panel](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D-3jKsRWkAAX4Ua?format=jpg&name=large) showing Levi in Erwin's class, but this is my, um, contribution :p
> 
> ~~Please don't shoot me~~

Erwin was nearly at school when he encountered the boy, hands in his pockets, kicking at stones a short distance away from the schoolhouse, and he was fascinated. As far as he could tell, he's sure he'd never seen this particular child in the neighbourhood before. Certainly he would have noticed if he did. The boy looked scrawny yet tough, his jet black hair stiff enough that the bangs of his slightly off-center parting rose before it fell over his forehead, yet it swished gently with his movements. The blue? grey? eyes hidden behind those bangs looked sleepy, yet when Erwin approached they swung up to him wary and alert. For a moment, Erwin had the impression of a predator ready to strike, and he the hapless prey. He blinked, confused, but before he could react the boy had relaxed again, the hands in the pockets of his hoodie losing their tension.

"Hi," Erwin said to him brightly.

The boy ignored him and continued to kick at the ground, but Erwin was undeterred. "I've never seen you before."

Those eyes looked up at him again, the words _no shit_ clear in his expression. Still Erwin persisted.

"Are you here to join our school?"

It seemed the other boy realised that Erwin was not going to leave him alone till he got a response out of him. "No," he answered curtly.

"Oh." Erwin's face fell. For some inexplicable reason, the negative response cut him terribly. As he stood there forlornly, toeing the ground, wondering what to do next, the boy gave him a strange look and softened his stance.

"Kenny told me to stay here till he got back," he volunteered.

"Do you want to come anyway?" Erwin tried.

"I-" The boy hesitated, and Erwin seized on the opening he'd been given.

"My dad's the teacher, I'm sure he won't have any problem with it if you wanted to! You can sit by the window, that way you can keep an eye out for your f-" he caught the frown and quickly amended his sentence, "for Kenny."

A conflict of emotions passed over the mysterious boy's face. He looked down the street in the opposite direction and then back at the school, considering. Finally he shrugged and, pulling his hands out of his pockets, indicated with a jerk of his chin for Erwin to lead the way.

Erwin felt his heart leap in his chest.

"What's your name?" Erwin asked as they walked into the building.

"Levi."

Erwin couldn't help the enthusiastic jounce in his step as he bounded into the schoolhouse and introduced his new friend to his teacher father, asking if it would be alright if he could sit in on classes for the day. Sure enough, his father didn't mind at all having an extra student, and as per Erwin's request, gave him a spot next to the window so that he could watch out for his guardian's arrival.

As the class progressed, Erwin surreptitiously cast glances at Levi. The boy looked bored and uninterested in being here, sitting in a grumpy slouch, but as Erwin observed, this appearance was deceptive, as half the time he would catch him following Erwin's father closely, looking away only when he thought he might be caught paying attention. The other half the time though, Erwin looked over to find the boy's attention on him, and he would quickly turn his head away again when their eyes met.

But Erwin did not spend all of his time looking at Levi. It was history after all, one of, if not his most favourite subject, and he soon got caught up in the account of humanity's fortunate escape within the walls.

However, something occurred to him, something that didn't quite seem to click, and he raised his hand to ask about it.

But where his father would have been quick to engage with any query his students brought up, uncharacteristically, on this occasion, he did not tackle the question, but smoothly diverted instead to another part of the history, leaving Erwin feeling perplexed about what just happened.

Before he could think any more on it though, the lesson was over, and Erwin's attention turned to his temporary classmate slipping out of the room as soon as the class was dismissed.

He quickly ran to catch up, calling back apologies when he bumped into others in his rush to get out, afraid that he would lose the boy to the bustle of the streets if he tarried.

"Hey Levi, wait!"

The other boy slowed his pace when he heard his name being called, although he did not turn around.

"Will I see you again?"

This time he stopped walking, his shoulders tensed.

"Preferably not."

"Why not?"

"Because I will kill you, and kill you again." Suddenly the boy grew to an adult, small still yet larger than life, his dun hoodie warping and darkening to a lightless black cloak. He turned to face him, lifeless grey eyes in a too pale face.

A spectre of death.

But so beautiful, the face a of friend. Erwin stretched out his left arm to the figure to find that he too was the grown-up version of himself, in his Survey Corps uniform.

From his midsection, a mild crimson warmth emanated.

He smiled.

"But I am ready."

The figure stretched his hand out in return, welcoming. "Come with me then."

Linking their hands together, they walked away from the schoolhouse, into the deepening shadows as the sun set behind them.

~~~

"Teacher...  
... that... there's nobody...  
...how...did they check?"

"...Erwin?"

Levi stared at Erwin, at the arm jerked up and out of his grasp. The fragment of speech from the man brought up the ghost of their last conversation, playing like a broken record in his mind.

_'Give up your dream and die...'_

Of the thoughts that swirled in his head, of dreams, of the devil, of memories of Kenny, of Armin. Of the sea, of the basement.

Of being free.

_'Thank you.'_

Closing his eyes briefly, he knew he couldn't do it anymore.

He got up and walked from Erwin, bringing the syringe away with him.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd written this in that strange interlude where I avoid spoilers/the early chapter drop, and having seen the latest chapter after, my thoughts are somewhere between _oops_ and _ohmygod_


End file.
